The Lone Angel
by Digintegrated
Summary: Ultimecia is out, the SeeD are back at Balamb Garden but Rinoa is feeling depressed... Why? R&R to find out and enjoy!


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The Lone Angel

by **Digintegrated** - **Hunter Bill**

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Disclaimer: even if I have to repeat it 131072 times, I'll say it loud and clear: I don't own FF8, Squaresoft does.

Mid-day. The sky was azure blue. The Balamb Garden had landed back to the Balamb plains for a while, to allow their students to have a greater space for training. The plains had soon turned into a battlefield simulation. All the Balamb Garden students were there, wielding their weapons. All of them... well, not at all...

There were students missing, indeed. _This_ group, led by Squall Leonhart, did not take part to the training day. Such a laziness would have been severely blamed by the headmaster Cid Kramer, but it didn't concern the six people that were Squall, Rinoa, Quistis, Zell, Selphie and Irvine. The reason could not be more sufficient: it was only four days ago that the Balamb Garden fighters have made an outstanding action by defeating Ultimecia in the future. It was a miracle that all of these students made it alive... especially for Squall who, after Ultimecia had eventually given up her ghost, had been first found lifeless by his most trustworthy companion, Rinoa. Dr Kadowaki reported that the young Gunblader remained at least 30 long hours unconscious before coming to. Cid was wise of the great effort the SeeD team has made, and also of the fear they had of losing their best friend. The headmaster had therefore exempted them from taking part in the regular Balamb Garden activities until further notice.

Squall was feeling much better this day. After having stayed under Dr Kadowaki's treatment, the young man was in a good condition. It could have taken more time, but Rinoa's assistance with her sorcery helped the Doctor very much. The remaining four were so happy to hear these good news that they all got overexcited. Selphie, the most excited of all, had decided to celebrate their victory and Squall's recovery. So Irvine, Quistis, Zell and her took the opportunity offered by Cid to prepare the festival.

Squall and Rinoa were inseparable since their return at Balamb Garden. The girl, deeply affected by her companion's critical status, remained by his side until he could open his eyes. "_Bitter irony..._ she was thinking. _He must have done the same when I was under Ultimecia's grasp... I will never forget what you've done for me, Squall. If only you could hear me..."_ And she was clinging to his motionless arm.

However, even if the young couple seemed to be happy after such a bad moment, something was confusing Rinoa. For sure, the girl was accepted as a Balamb Garden member, but she never thought she was really part of this institution. Apart from Cid, Edea, Squall and his other battle mates, Rinoa had no one to talk to. She was considering herself as ignored from the students, in a world she was not invited to. She would have liked to talk about it to Squall, but how? Would he hear what she would say?

The girl stayed for a long time upon the Balamb Garden's balcony. She used to enjoy being there when the University was floating on the sea. She was feeling so free. Now it was different. She could feel her spirit as still as the building. This made her sadder. All of this because of her "isolation".

~~

The night came, and with it came Balamb Garden's festival. All the SeeD were down in the Quad, in the ball room. Selphie was so happy to see her festival dreams become real that she couldn't stand still. Everyone was talking, eating, drinking... Selphie was handing a video cam and was recording her team mates. Cid was spending some time with Quistis and Irvine before Edea turned up, dressed up for the first time in years in her long black dress, and still as beautiful as she was in the past. Zell was filling his belly with newly imported bretzels and almost choked. Sometimes Angelo passed by, and ate a piece of cake gratefully given to her by a student.

But the two people whose names were on everybody's lips were not in the ball room. Rinoa was standing on a balcony, watching the sky and the sea as Balamb Garden passed by Fisherman's Horizon. Her hair and her blue cape were floating in the wind. She saw a shooting star. Remembering the moment she spent during the last ball, she looked at her right and raised her finger, smiling. Squall replied her with the same smile. It was the first time for years that the young man had smiled.

As they hugged each other, Rinoa started:

"Squall..."

"What?"

It took a moment for the girl to continue.

"I'm feeling lonely."

Squall didn't know what to answer. He finally said:

"But I'm here..."

"It's not that, Squall. It's... it's..."

"What?" Squall was a bit surprised.

Rinoa couldn't say a word for a moment. She couldn't predict Squall's answer. She was somehow used to his newly friendly feelings, but she thought everything could happen. The young man could turn back to his usual cold and merciless attitude, and would not have paid attention to her. Maybe he was just playing this role of a friend...

"I... I want to be like you..."

"Like me? You already have a copy of my ring, what do..."

"No, no, no... I don't mean, being like you as a person... I mean... having a status as yours... at Balamb Garden."

The young man took some time to understand Rinoa's request.

"You want to be considered as a true Balamb Garden student, right?"

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"That sounds incredible! He has understood..." the girl thought.

"Yes", she said, hesitating. "It's because... nobody here understands me... but you..."

Squall remained silent, but kept on hugging Rinoa.

"Don't worry... I'll talk about this to Cid.", he answered.

"Thanks, Squall...", she said, almost whispering...

__

"Rinoa... You've done so much for us... But can I really find a way to thank you?" Squall thought, while the celebration was going to end...

~~

Cid and Edea have noticed that the morale of the heroic couple was not at the top.

"It's true... Rinoa has proven her abilities in fighting, she has suffered for a too long time, she had defeated Ultimecia with Squall and the rest... I will never forget how she refused to believe that Squall was dead... She made me think about Squall himself."

Cid was listening to Edea with a particular attention. Rinoa didn't know it, but she was highly considered by him since she could use her newly acquired magic against evil. For the headmaster, Rinoa was not just a pawn, but a multi-talented fighter. Who knew... she could complete her formation at Balamb Garden...

"I understand, darling...", he answered. "You intend to make something of her, right?"

"Yes I do... Rinoa is so sad to remain on the background after all she had done. Her team mates moral support is not sufficient... It's up to _us _now to show her our gratitude."

~~

The next day... Balamb Garden had landed again in the Balamb prairies. Everything was silent in the big building. Even the Quad, where the celebration had taken place, had no sign of life. Everything in the Quad and in the ball room had been cleaned spick and span by Squall and his other five SeeD mates during the night. They were all sleeping, everyone but Squall who was still haunted by the horrible nightmare he had just after defeating Ultimecia and tried to avoid falling asleep for fear of facing it once again. He wanted to clean his mind from the thought of Rinoa blurring and dying in space... The girl had her room next to his. Sometimes he would get up and rush into her room, just to see if she was still alive. Rinoa was still there, in her bed, sleeping, still with this same angelic expression. Satisfied and relived, he would return in his room without saying a word.

By mid-day, he finally succeeded in making up his mind: Rinoa had no reason to disappear as long as he would remain by her side. Only this troubled his mind at that time: what could he do to make her happier? Would Cid and Edea accept to do something for her?

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. He opened. It was Nida.

"Hello, Squall. How is it going?"

"Well... it could be worse but it's fine anyway. What's up, Nida?"

"You and Rinoa are summoned by Cid and Edea Kramer. You should leave this room immediately and wait for your friend to come at the elevator... Oh, by the way, put your SeeD uniform on."

"Okay, I'll do it.", Squall answered.

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"Rinoa? What's wrong with Rinoa?" he thought after Nida left.

Nevertheless he didn't wanted to stay in this room any longer. A few minutes later, Squall was out of his room, wearing the regulation black SeeD uniform. He hadn't worn it since the last ball. As he went among the Quad entrance, recalls of Rinoa and his meeting of her at the ball went through his mind. _"How blissful she was...If only she could get over this... But what if Cid doesn't do anything?" _he wondered.

He had made the way round the main hall and was leaning against the banisters near the elevator. A bit later, he could hear:

"Squall... I'm here."

Rinoa... Squall turned to see the girl and stopped there, petrified... He would have never ever have thought of her like this...

She was wearing a SeeD uniform!

"What... where... who gave you this uniform?" Squall uttered, struck by surprise as he was staring at Rinoa.

"It's Nida. He told me to wear this and to come and fetch you by the elevator..."

She paused and said: "You don't like it?"

"No, no, no... It suits you well. I'm not kidding... But, you can't be... you're not a SeeD!"

"But now she _is_ one."

The couple turned to the directory map. Edea was there.

"Matron?", Squall said. "So you have overheard us?"

"I knew right from the start that Rinoa deserved to be rewarded.", Edea continued. "We didn't hear you at any time, it was too evident in her eyes that she was feeling depressed, so we decided to make a nice surprise to her."

Rinoa blushed.

"We don't have much time. We have to go directly to the Quad."

~~

All the students, SeeD and will-be SeeD, were there, standing in rows. Even Quistis, Selphie, Zell and as weird as it looked, Irvine were in their SeeD suits. These four had taken place next to a desk, from which Cid Kramer himself was directing this exceptional meeting.

Squall, Rinoa and Edea came in. The audience applauded. Then Cid started his speech.

"Rinoa Heartilly. Since your spontaneous desire to help our SeeD team led by Squall Leonhart, currently here, you have shown us proof of your abilities in battle. To quote some of your achievements while in this group, you helped us preventing the destruction of our university, you took part in Balamb's liberation, you participated in the battle between us and the Galbadian students and helped my wife Edea Kramer to recover and most of all, you destroyed our greatest menace Ultimecia. Your involvement in the actions formerly carried on by this team must never be forgotten. This is why I, Cid Kramer, am proud to announce you, Rinoa, that from now on, you are a member of the SeeD."

As Rinoa received her diploma from the hands of Xu, she blushed again.

A thunder of applauds came from the students. Rinoa looked around her. All of those people intimidated her some time ago, now she knew they were cheering her up. _"Oh my... Am I just dreaming? This is impossible..."_

The applause got louder. Some excited students started to shout things like "Go Rinoa, go!" or "Rinoa, we're all with you!". She couldn't believe it. She was so confused.

And then, she suddenly fainted and fell to the ground. Squall caught her in his arms.

The room was now deadly silent. Without saying a word, the young man took her on his back and went promptly to the dorm. Once there, he laid her on her bed and tried to reanimate her.

After he poured several times fresh water on her face, she eventually opened her eyes.

"Where am I?", she could hardly say.

"In your room.", Squall answered. "You were there at the celebration of your promotion and you passed out."

The girl looked at herself and realized she was still in her newly acquired SeeD uniform.

"Well... it's true now. It appears I'm not just a guest anymore...", she said in an almost whispering voice.

"No, you're not...", Squall answered her, as he helped her getting up.

"I remember ... there were students encouraging me. Oh, Squall!"

She threw her arms around him and cried.

"All of you have always been so kind with me, and I realize it just now... And my father... how will he react if he learns that I'm a SeeD?"

"Don't worry about it... I'm sure he'll be proud of you. After all, Balamb Garden helped in the resolution of the Galbadian conflicts, right?"

"You're right.", she answered as she dried her tears.

"Are you better now?", Squall asked.

Rinoa nodded.

"We'd better return. They're all waiting for us there."

Hand in hand, the couple went out of the dorm and back to the Quad. Rinoa was obviously more confident from that moment on. She didn't feel trapped in what seemed to be "a weird building" anymore. She was delighted to think Balamb Garden as her new home and that in the future, the SeeD would soon be new acquaintances and Squall would get even closer to her mind.

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Author's note: nothing to do with my "in dev" crossover. I hope you liked this nice story anyway.

I had to update it because some of you got confused with the abbreviation BGU (it stands for Balamb Garden University). I thought it was used in all the versions of the game but now it appears that only the French version uses this term. Sorry for this... Now I'll remember to always say "Balamb Garden".

To you all, see you next instalment, and have friendly feelings from:

~~ Digintegrated Hunter Bill ~~


End file.
